State profile · Below median Poor share

Alabama bridge safety

According to the Federal Highway Administration's 2024 National Bridge Inventory, condition ratings, load ratings, and Poor-condition shares for every public highway bridge in Alabama.

16,205
Public bridges
37.0%
Good condition
3.4%
Poor condition

Alabama holds 16,205 public highway bridges (#15 of 52 by inventory) with a 3.35% Poor share (#43 of 52 by Poor share).

That is 3.4% of the state's inventory, against an average of 7.5% across the 54 states and territories with Poor-rated bridges on file, which places it 10 of 54 ordered from the lowest Poor share upward. A bridge is rated Poor when its weakest applicable component scores 4 or below on the inspecting agency's 0-9 scale, so the category is a maintenance and funding signal rather than a closure order or a live crossing-safety verdict.

Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026

Total Bridges

16,205

Public highway bridges in Alabama

Good Condition

37.0%

5,993 bridges rated 7-9

-13.0pp vs 50% benchmark

Poor Condition

3.4%

543 bridges whose lowest applicable component is rated 0-4

-4.2pp vs national avg 7.5%

Alabama vs national bridge condition

Alabama - Good condition share 37.0%
National avg

Share of bridges rated 7-9 on the FHWA 0-9 scale (deck, superstructure, substructure all good).

Alabama - Poor-condition share 11.2%
National avg

Lower is better. Bar maxes at 30% (worst-state ceiling). National average sits at 7.5%.

Alabama in the national condition pattern

Each point is a state or territory in the FHWA NBI; the highlighted point is this profile.

Inventory size and Poor-condition share are different measures: Alabama has 16,205 bridges and a 3.4% Poor-condition share in the 2024 NBI, rank #10 of 54 jurisdictions ordered from the lowest share upward. The dashed comparisons mark the national average state rate and the midpoint of the plotted inventory range; neither is a live safety or closure threshold. Scatter plot of 54 data points. 0%10%20%30%40% 0k20k40k60k Public bridges in inventory (thousands) Poor-condition share (%) AL, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 16.2k · Poor-condition share (%): 3.35%AK, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 1.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.89%AZ, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 8.6k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.15%AR, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 13k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.43%CA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 25.8k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.91%CO, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 9k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.82%CT, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 4.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.72%DE, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 0.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.26%DC, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 0.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.95%FL, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 13k · Poor-condition share (%): 2.79%GA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 15.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.59%GU, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 0k · Poor-condition share (%): 12.77%HI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 1.2k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.53%ID, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 4.6k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.9%IL, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 26.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 9.35%IN, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 19.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.22%IA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 23.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 19.16%KS, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 24.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.26%KY, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 14.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.37%LA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 12.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 11.48%ME, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 2.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 15.41%MD, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 5.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.56%MA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 5.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 8.88%MI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 11.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 11.27%MN, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 13.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.44%MS, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 16.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.03%MO, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 24.6k · Poor-condition share (%): 8.95%MT, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 5.2k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.81%NE, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 15.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.9%NV, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 2.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.14%NH, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 2.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.51%NJ, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 6.8k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.01%NM, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 4k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.51%NY, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 17.6k · Poor-condition share (%): 9.43%NC, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 19.2k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.76%ND, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 4.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 10.98%OH, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 26.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.74%OK, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 22.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.7%OR, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 8.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.61%PA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 23.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 12.58%PR, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 2.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 13.92%RI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 0.8k · Poor-condition share (%): 15.2%SC, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 9.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.17%SD, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 5.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 16.36%TN, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 20.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.41%TX, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 56.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.23%UT, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 3.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 2.91%VT, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 2.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 2.9%VI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 0k · Poor-condition share (%): 29.17%VA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 14.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 3.39%WA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 8.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.45%WV, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 7.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 18.64%WI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 14.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.52%WY, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 3.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.51%
Inventory size and Poor-condition share are different measures: Alabama has 16,205 bridges and a 3.4% Poor-condition share in the 2024 NBI, rank #10 of 54 jurisdictions ordered from the lowest share upward. The dashed comparisons mark the national average state rate and the midpoint of the plotted inventory range; neither is a live safety or closure threshold.

Alabama vs all states by public bridge inventory

Where this state's FHWA NBI public-highway bridge count sits among every state and territory on PlainBridges

16,205 15th of 54 higher than 39 of 54 states

States and territories, banded by public bridge inventory size

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more states. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source FHWA National Bridge Inventory · 2024

Read the rank neighborhood for Alabama

The highlighted point is Alabama: 16,205 bridges and 3.35% in Poor condition, rank #10 of 54 jurisdictions ordered from the lowest share upward. The five jurisdictions immediately above and below Alabama on that same Poor-share ordering:

  • Vermont: 2,862 bridges · 2.90% Poor
  • Utah: 3,125 bridges · 2.91% Poor
  • Alabama: 16,205 bridges · 3.35% Poor
  • Virginia: 14,120 bridges · 3.39% Poor
  • Tennessee: 20,379 bridges · 4.41% Poor

The full national sortable table lives on the rankings page.

Material families in Alabama

Exclusive FHWA material families across all 16,205 bridges in this state; continuous variants fold into the parent family. Orthogonal to the Poor-share scatter above.

Who maintains Alabama’s inventory

State agency holds 36.0% of the 16,205 public highway bridges filed under Alabama in the 2024 NBI, the agency-of-record split for this state, not a condition verdict.

When Alabama’s bridges were built

Pre-1950 construction accounts for 15.3% of the 16,205 bridges with a recorded original year in Alabama. Era bands are orthogonal to the Poor-share ranking above.

Condition Distribution

Alabama37%59.7%GoodFairPoor
Bridge inventory deck-condition mix - Alabama (FHWA NBI)

Counties (67)

Autauga 118 Baldwin 381 Barbour 192 Bibb 126 Blount 180 Bullock 136 Butler 189 Calhoun 386 Chambers 185 Cherokee 167 Chilton 189 Choctaw 154 Clarke 155 Clay 129 Cleburne 165 Coffee 216 Colbert 172 Conecuh 224 Coosa 126 Covington 332 Crenshaw 171 Cullman 246 Dale 206 Dallas 225 DeKalb 300 Elmore 202 Escambia 200 Etowah 236 Fayette 186 Franklin 194 Geneva 205 Greene 204 Hale 177 Henry 133 Houston 247 Jackson 314 Jefferson 1068 Lamar 181 Lauderdale 266 Lawrence 215 Lee 214 Limestone 324 Lowndes 157 Macon 177 Madison 710 Marengo 203 Marion 255 Marshall 172 Mobile 612 Monroe 142 Montgomery 596 Morgan 271 Perry 162 Pickens 233 Pike 169 Randolph 165 Russell 205 Shelby 344 St. Clair 183 Sumter 241 Talladega 243 Tallapoosa 149 Tuscaloosa 482 Walker 275 Washington 177 Wilcox 168 Winston 78

Alabama vs nearby ranks

Adjacent states by Poor-condition share (lower share = better)

States are ranked by the share of bridges whose lowest applicable component rating is 4 or below. This describes recorded condition; it does not measure funding effectiveness or live crossing safety. States here sit immediately above and below Alabama on the same metric.

VT

Vermont

2.90% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$2,862

UT

Utah

2.91% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$3,125
Selected

AL

Alabama

3.35% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$16,205

VA

Virginia

3.39% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$14,120

TN

Tennessee

4.41% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$20,379

Bridges Needing Most Attention in Alabama

Six lowest-condition bridges in Alabama, ranked by the portal's composite display score. Inspection intervals are risk-based under current NBIS rules.

COUNTRY CLUB ROAD

Poor

Over: BLACKWATER CREEK

1 MILE EAST HWY 195, Walker, AL

Built 1898 Load: 0.0 t ADT: 400

KINGS MILL ROAD

Poor

Over: LOST CREEK

1 MILE N OAKMAN HWY, Walker, AL

Built 1900 Load: 0.0 t ADT: 150

CAHABA BEACH ROAD

Poor

Over: LITTLE CAHABA RIVER

1.8 MILES NORTH OF US 280, Shelby, AL

Built 1904 Load: 0.0 t ADT: 100

19TH AVE

Poor

Over: MOORES CREEK

VALLEY, Chambers, AL

Built 1910 Load: 0.0 t ADT: 350

ROADWAY

Poor

Over: CO RT 1065 SUCARNOCHEE R

4.0 MI N CO RT 1064, Sumter, AL

Built 1912 Load: 0.0 t ADT: 40

SMITH CHAPEL RD

Poor

Over: MILL CREEK

1 MILE N HWY 78, Walker, AL

Built 1915 Load: 0.0 t ADT: 125

All Bridges in Alabama

19TH ST. BESSEMER

Fair

Over: VALLEY CREEK

19TH ST. * VALLEY CREEK, Jefferson, AL

Built 1955 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 5,000

O. PATTERSON RD

Fair

Over: FLINT RIVER

0.5 MI W JCT CO RD 450, Madison, AL

Built 1956 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 1,513

SR 22

Fair

Over: COOSA RIVER

CHILTON * COOSA CO LINE, Chilton, AL

Built 1958 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 1,450

CO RD 28

Fair

Over: STREAM

4 MI S ST.STEPHENS, Washington, AL

Built 1958 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 118

SR 117

Fair

Over: TENNESSEE RIVER

3 MI S OF STEVENSON, Jackson, AL

Built 1958 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 3,311

CR 607

Fair

Over: YELLOWLEAF CREEK

CR607 0.8 MI SW LAY DAM, Chilton, AL

Built 1960 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 480

Mccaineville road

Fair

Over: Shumulla Creek

1.3 MI N ALA HWY 28, Sumter, AL

Built 1960 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 45

CO RT 364

Fair

Over: BEAVERDAM CREEK

3.7 MI N OF ELBA, Coffee, AL

Built 1962 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 621

Grandview Road

Fair

Over: HUDSON CREEK

400 W of AL143/Main St., Elmore, AL

Built 1963 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 518

COUNTY ROAD 42

Fair

Over: MEADOWS CREEK

ALA ROAD 52 TO ALA RD 95, Houston, AL

Built 1964 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 1,260

CO RT 215

Fair

Over: WHITEWATER CREEK

2.7 MILES WESTOF VICTORIA, Coffee, AL

Built 1965 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 414

CO RT 236

Fair

Over: MUDDY FORK CREEK

1.25 MI W JCT CO RT 237, Lawrence, AL

Built 1968 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 225

SR21

Fair

Over: SNOW CREEK

CITY OF ANNISTON, Calhoun, AL

Built 1969 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 32,026

CO RT NO 39

Fair

Over: CHICKASAW BOGUE

5 10 MI N AL 28, Marengo, AL

Built 1969 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 130

CO RD

Fair

Over: STREAM

Beaver Dam Road, Covington, AL

Built 1933 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 110

COUNTY DIRT RD

Fair

Over: NO NAME BRANCH

Old Dragstrip Road, Covington, AL

Built 1937 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 140

NUBBIN CREEK RD

Fair

Over: HORSE CREEK

1.0 M SW UNION, Clay, AL

Built 1979 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 20

DALTON WALKER RD

Fair

Over: ROSWELL CREEK

2 1/2 MI N OF RAINBOW, Blount, AL

Built 1982 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 120

US 31

Fair

Over: 1st thru 8th Ave. N

US 31 * 1ST * 8TH AVE N, Jefferson, AL

Built 1972 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 36,875

US 31

Fair

Over: IST - 8TH AVE N

US 31 * US 11, Jefferson, AL

Built 1972 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 59,182

OLD TENN PIKE

Fair

Over: SELF CREEK

0.3 MI N JCT SR 79, Jefferson, AL

Built 1930 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 885

CO. ROAD 128

Fair

Over: DRY BRCH TO CHOCCOLOCCO

1 MI E STATE21 ON CO 128, Talladega, AL

Built 1935 Load: 20.1 t ADT: 523

BELTON NALLS ROAD

Fair

Over: BRANCH OFF BURNT CORN CK

1.2 MI N.E. LENOX, Conecuh, AL

Built 1950 Load: 20.1 t ADT: 30

ROCK CREEK ROAD

Fair

Over: ROCK CREEK

1.9 MI S AL 269, Jefferson, AL

Built 1950 Load: 20.1 t ADT: 3,775

SR 56

Fair

Over: CREEK

7.6 MI. E. OF MISS.ST.LN., Washington, AL

Built 1950 Load: 20.1 t ADT: 1,700

WARRIOR-TRAFFORD R

Fair

Over: WARRIOR R LOCUST FORK

1 MILE NW OF TRAFFORD, Jefferson, AL

Built 1952 Load: 20.1 t ADT: 611

Balm Road

Fair

Over: PATTERSON CREEK

SEC2 T19N R19E, Elmore, AL

Built 1954 Load: 20.1 t ADT: 300

SR 146

Fair

Over: PAINT ROCK RIVER

0.6 MI E JCT SR65 * SR146, Jackson, AL

Built 1958 Load: 20.1 t ADT: 609

LOCK 17 ROAD

Fair

Over: DAVIS CREEK

11.6 MI N OF JCT ALA 216, Tuscaloosa, AL

Built 1959 Load: 20.1 t ADT: 500

LAMAR RD

Fair

Over: CANEY BRANCH

0.45 MI S OF US 80, Montgomery, AL

Built 1960 Load: 20.1 t ADT: 500

CO RD 51

Fair

Over: NE BRANCH OF BLUFF CREEK

1.5 MI W SR 237 CO 51 JCT, Franklin, AL

Built 1964 Load: 20.1 t ADT: 330

CARTER HILL RD

Fair

Over: DRAINAGE RELIEF

3.7 MI N OF US 82, Montgomery, AL

Built 1972 Load: 20.1 t ADT: 425

CARTER HILL ROAD

Fair

Over: BULLARD SLOUGH

3.4 MI N OF US 82, Montgomery, AL

Built 1972 Load: 20.1 t ADT: 425

ROSE HILL RD.

Fair

Over: HUDSON CREEK

700 W of AL143/Main St, Elmore, AL

Built 1954 Load: 20.1 t ADT: 881

MONTLIMAR DRIVE

Fair

Over: BOLTON BRANCH

0.3 MI N COTTAGE HILL RD, Mobile, AL

Built 1986 Load: 20.1 t ADT: 17,028

Willow Springs RD

Fair

Over: HARWELL MILL CREEK

1.2 MILES E OF ST 231, Elmore, AL

Built 1999 Load: 20.1 t ADT: 2,064

HALL ROAD

Fair

Over: HILLS CREEK

.25 MI EAST OF CO RD 63, Wilcox, AL

Built 1985 Load: 20.1 t ADT: 30

PENDERGRASS CREEK-

Fair

Over: PENDERGRASS CREEK

SHOAL CREEK DISTRICT, Cleburne, AL

Built 1958 Load: 20.1 t ADT: 100

SR1/US431

Fair

Over: CORNHOUSE CREEK

6.6 MI N ROANOKE, Randolph, AL

Built 1926 Load: 20.2 t ADT: 5,566

AL - 25

Fair

Over: SHOAL CREEK

AL 25 * SHOAL CK, Shelby, AL

Built 1935 Load: 20.2 t ADT: 1,450

CO. RT. 14

Fair

Over: BRUSH CREEK

5.5 MI. W. JCT. CO.RD. 10, Lauderdale, AL

Built 1937 Load: 20.2 t ADT: 505

CHIPOLA ROAD

Fair

Over: CHESTNUT BRANCH

3 MILES S.W.OF MALVERN, Geneva, AL

Built 1944 Load: 20.2 t ADT: 50

OLD MILL ROAD

Fair

Over: WHEELER MILL BRANCH

3 MI W OF BLACK, Geneva, AL

Built 1946 Load: 20.2 t ADT: 53

HOBBS ISLAND RD

Fair

Over: FLINT RIVER

4 MI W JCT HWY 431 S, Madison, AL

Built 1950 Load: 20.2 t ADT: 3,500

CR-49

Fair

Over: YELLOW CREEK RELIEF

8 MI. N. CROSSVILLE, Lamar, AL

Built 1952 Load: 20.2 t ADT: 430

CR-49

Fair

Over: YELLOW CREEK RELIEF

8.1 MI. N. CROSSVILLE, Lamar, AL

Built 1952 Load: 20.2 t ADT: 430

CO RD 9

Fair

Over: CUBAHATCHEE CREEK

2.9 MILES SO US80/SR8, Macon, AL

Built 1952 Load: 20.2 t ADT: 268

COUNTY ROAD 14

Fair

Over: CONECUH RIVER

SEC 21 T12 R23, Bullock, AL

Built 1956 Load: 20.2 t ADT: 150

COUNTY ROAD 14

Fair

Over: CONECUH RIVER

SEC 21 T 12 R23, Bullock, AL

Built 1956 Load: 20.2 t ADT: 150

BEAR FORK ROAD

Fair

Over: EIGHTMILE CREEK

0.9 MI E.SHELTON BEACH RD, Mobile, AL

Built 1957 Load: 20.2 t ADT: 6,892

Showing 1,051-1,100 of 16,205 bridges

Related

All states → | National rankings → | Understanding conditions → | Retired SD term explained →
Data sourced from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI), latest released cycle. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainBridges.

Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI). Poor condition is an inspection-record category, not a closure or unsafe-to-cross designation. Consult the bridge owner for current status.

Understanding Bridge Conditions

How FHWA rates bridge condition on a 0-9 scale.

Check Your Daily Bridges

How to look up bridge condition data for bridges on your route.

Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

What to do with this

Use Alabama's inventory picture to drill to a county or a specific span.

  • Browse counties in Alabama and open the highest-Poor shares first. County list
  • See where this state sits among peers on Poor-condition share. State rankings
  • Compare this state with another jurisdiction on the same measures. State compare

NBI condition ratings are inventory snapshots, not live crossing-safety verdicts.

Every figure on PlainBridges is rendered directly from federal source data, no number is typed in by an editor. Alabama Good/Fair/Poor shares and county rollups on this page are computed from the same NBI extract as the national boards; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2024 NBI release. NBI condition categories reflect the latest reported inventory record, not a live safety, closure, or travel decision.